Kristin Danielson and
Ashley Johnson have been announced as assistant coaches for the defending Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference co-champions today. Danielson and Johnson will join current assistants
Kathy Crudo and
Stan Karich on the staff under head coach
Jen Banford for the 2014 season.
Danielson, a native of Mounds View, Minn., graduated from UMD in 2010 with a B.A.Sc. degree in Community Health Education and, is currently pursuing her master's degree at Concordia-St. Paul.
Danielson coached two years as the pitching coach for the St. Catherine University softball team. Danielson has been was the first recruit Banford brought into the program. She spent four seasons with the softball program as a dual-threat on the circle and at the plate. Danielson capped off her collegiate career as one of the four Bulldogs to ever attain All-American status.
A four-time All-Conference honoree and a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Central member, Danielson established career marks, in nearly every pitching category, in pitching wins (58), strikeouts (547), appearances (113), starts (93), innings (624.2) and complete games (72) as well as program bests for home runs (21), runs batted in (128), total bases (283) and walks (63). She batted .334, including a season-high .371 in 2011, owned a .511 slugging percent in 188 games.
"I had an awesome four years at UMD," said Danielson. "I had some amazing experiences at Duluth and I made amazing friends and families so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to come back to my alma mater and work with the pitching staff. I'm thrilled to be part of the staff and work alongside Jen."
Johnson, a native of Rosemount, Minn., carried her passion and expertise into the coaching realm this past year at Eastview H.S. as a varsity assistant coach and the year prior at Burnsville H.S. with the junior varsity squad. A graduate from UMD in 2011, Johnson earned her B.A.Sc. degree in Exercise Science while playing on the diamond, captaining the Softball Bulldogs her junior and senior seasons and earning All-NSIC honors twice while splitting time as a catcher and outfielder.
Johnson finished her four-year tenure as one the most decorated players in program history. Along with her career .347 batting average in 186 games, Johnson set career numbers in seven categories (at-bats – 626, hits – 217, doubles – 45, home runs – 26, total bases – 344, RBIs – 149 and fielding percentage – .991) by the time she left and holds a share of the single season record for putouts (362).
"I'm excited to become a part of the coaching staff at UMD," said Johnson. "Playing here for four years, I know what to expect from the players and program. It's an honor to be back with the Bulldogs and be with my old coach and my former teammate again on the bench."
The Bulldogs will commence of the 2014 season a little over three months from now with an opening day double header in the Arkansas-Monticello Softball Classic.
